Friday, February 27, 2015

About the Front: The gold cross pendant around Jerry Browne's neck is downright subdued compared to those ugly chunky magnetic necklaces that some players wear now.

About the Back: The "VI" in Jerry's birthplace is the Virgin Islands, which has produced a total of 11 big leaguers. The most notable were Horace Clarke, Al McBean, Elrod Hendricks, and Jose Morales.Triple Play:
1. When he played with the A's, Browne was known as "The Governor". At that time, Jerry Brown was the governor of California.

2. On July 25, 1991, he pinch-hit against Dennis Eckersley in the bottom of the eighth with two outs, one man on base, and the Indians trailing Oakland 7-6. He homered to right field to deliver the winning runs.

3. Jerry has coached in the minors for the Blue Jays, Giants, and Nationals.

11-Year-Old Kevin Says: This card lists him at 170 pounds, while Baseball Reference bills him at 140. At 5'10", he'd be practically invisible at that lower weight.Bill James Said: "He didn't play well last year, after missing the first half the year with an injury, and his nomadic career may move on to another stop." Jerry signed with the Marlins in 1994, where his MLB career would end the following year.On This Date in 1993: February 27. The Orioles sign 32-year-old Fernando Valenzuela. The 1981 Cy Young Award winner and Rookie of the Year had pitched in Mexico in 1992 and had not won a big league game since 1990. He'll start 31 games for Baltimore in 1993, showing flashes of brilliance in an uneven year and finishing 8-10 with a 4.94 ERA (91 ERA+).

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

About the Front: Tim Belcher is facing home plate in mid-windup, but he's peeking at you. Sure, he's probably checking the runner on first base, but it's still a bit unsettling.

About the Back: Tim was the first overall pick in the January phase of the 1984 draft, and it was actually the second time he'd been selected #1. The Twins drafted him with the first pick of the June 1983 draft, but he did not sign.Triple Play:
1. Belcher won three games for the Dodgers in the 1988 postseason. In his first-ever playoff appearance, he struck out ten Mets in eight and one-third innings in the second game of the NLCS.

2. On May 30, 1995, he allowed Derek Jeter's first major league hit, a single.

3. He has worked in the Indians' front office, and was the club's big league pitching coach in 2010-2011.

11-Year-Old Kevin Says: When you're in middle school, "Belcher" is a very funny name. When you're 32...it's still pretty amusing.Bill James Said: "For some reason, the batting average against him with men on base was .295, which cost him dearly." Tim was 12-11 with a 4.44 ERA (92 ERA+) in 1993.On This Date in 1993: February 25. The Seinfeld episode "The Implant", guest starring Teri Hatcher, airs for the first time. "They're real...and they're spectacular."

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

About the Front: Back-to-back excellent cards. Here we have a unique behind-the-plate view of Mike Flanagan, having just completed his delivery, watching the flight of his pitch as it comes toward us. Yankee Stadium is the backdrop; assuming this photo was taken in 1992, it would've been during the April 24-26 weekend series between the O's and Yanks. Flanny appeared in all three games, striking out four batters and walking two in three hitless innings of relief.

About the Back: Here you see Mike's entire 18-year major league record. He returned to the Orioles in 1991 in a bullpen role and flourished, but couldn't replicate that success the following year. At age 40, he called it a career. Still, his high ERA in 1992 is a bit misleading; he gave up 21 of his 31 earned runs in four ugly outings (and 2.1 innings) spread throughout the season. In his other 38 games, he allowed 10 earned runs in 32.1 innings.

Triple Play:
1. Among his accolades were an All-Star selection in 1978, the 1979 American League Cy Young Award, and a World Series ring with the Orioles in 1983. He was also the last O's pitcher to take the mound in the team's final game in Memorial Stadium on October 6, 1991.

2. Mike was also known for his wit. During the 1980 season, he referred to himself as "Cy Young" and teammate Jim Palmer as "Cy Old". He also gave former closer Don Stanhouse the colorful nicknames of "Fullpack" and "Stan the Man Unusual".

3. After retiring, Flanagan wore several hats in the Orioles' organization. He served two stints as pitching coach, and was a TV analyst for the team's local broadcasts for a number of years. From 2003-2007, he served as one of the club's top front office executives, in effect a co-GM with first Jim Beattie and later Jim Duquette. Sadly, Mike took his own life with a gunshot to the head on August 24, 2011. His widow Alex later revealed that he had battled depression for years.

11-Year-Old Kevin Says: Mike's 1986 Topps card was the only Oriole card I owned from that set as a child.Bill James Said: Flanagan was not active in 1993, and not featured in James' book.

On This Date in 1993: February 24. At the 35th Grammy Awards, Eric Clapton wins three awards for his song "Tears in Heaven".

Monday, February 23, 2015

About the Front: That's a great action photo. Todd Hundley's chest protector and pants are streaked with dirt and grass stains, and he's ready to throw from his knees. I'm assuming this was a wild pitch or passed ball and he didn't have time to set himself.

About the Back: As you can see, there wasn't a lot of competition for All-Star Rookie honors at catcher in 1992. But Hundley would have better years ahead of him.

Triple Play:
1. He had a four-year streak of Opening Day home runs from 1994 through 1997.

2. Hundley had a breakout year in 1996, making the first of back-to-back All-Star teams while slugging 32 doubles and 41 homers and driving in 112 runs. At that time, he set a record for most single-season home runs by a catcher (bested by Javy Lopez in 2003) and by a Met (tied by Carlos Beltran in 2006).

3. Todd had an unfortunate homecoming to Wrigley Field in 2001-2002. The Cubs had signed the Illinois native and second-generation player (see below) to a four-year, $24 million contract just before his 32nd birthday, but he struggled with injuries and ineffectiveness, hitting .199/.285/.398 in 171 games. He also didn't ingratiate himself to the Chicago fans by flipping off some hecklers early in 2001. He was traded to the Dodgers before the 2003 season, and played only 21 more games in his career.

11-Year-Old Kevin Says: Topps didn't mention Hundley's father Randy, who caught for the Cubs and three other teams from 1964 through 1977 and had a Gold Glove and an All-Star appearance. I don't remember how long it was before I learned about Todd's parentage.

Bill James Said: "His batting average with runners in scoring position jumped from .157 to .276."On This Date in 1993: February 23. Joey Lawrence's self-titled debut album is released. Whoa!

Friday, February 20, 2015

About the Front: Topps just photographed the entire Tigers pitching staff on Turn Back the Clock Day and called it a wrap, didn't they? Nevertheless, that's an excellent view of the center field fence and stands at Tiger Stadium.

About the Back: Mike Munoz was the first college player drafted by the Dodgers in 1986. With their first two picks, they took high school outfielder Michael White, who never made the majors, and shortstop Dave Hansen, who we'll see in the second series of this set.

Triple Play:
1. Munoz earned his first career save on August 15, 1992, shutting out the Rangers for the final three innings of a 10-3 Tigers win.

2. He appeared in 300 games spanning six seasons for the Rockies, despite an unsightly 5.50 ERA (94 ERA+) in that span. It's hard to pitch in Denver, y'all.

3. Mike collected his only big league hit on May 28, 1995, socking a run-scoring double against Jim Gott of the Pirates.

11-Year-Old Kevin Says: Munoz's thick black mustache probably reminded me of Super Mario, even if the lefty pitcher didn't have the right build.

Bill James Said: "Was the Tigers top lefthanded reliever in '92, but started out slowly last year, was designated for assignment and found himself the property of the Rockies."

On This Date in 1993: February 20. Jurickson Profar is born. In 2012, he will make his big league debut with the Rangers as a top middle infield prospect.

Thursday, February 19, 2015

About the Front: Orlando Merced wasn't much of a threat on the basepaths, as his three career triples and 57-for-86 lifetime stolen base rate indicate. What we see here is a pretty awkward attempt at a pop-up slide into third base.

About the Back: Interestingly, baseball is not listed as one of Merced's high school sports...but volleyball is. That's a rarity. Apparently his school had no baseball team, so he only played American Legion ball.

Triple Play:
1. In 1993, he ranked fourth in the National League with a .414 on-base percentage.

2. Orlando hit 103 career home runs. 11 of those were pinch homers, including a walkoff three-run shot on September 12, 1998 that gave the Cubs a 15-12 win over Bob Wickman and the Brewers.

3. He has had coaching stints with the AA Tulsa Drillers (a Rockies affiliate at the time) and the Class A West Virginia Power (a Pirates affiliate).

11-Year-Old Kevin Says: Merced was the only Orlando in the big leagues in 1993. Of course, Orlandos Miller, Palmeiro, Cabrera, Hernandez, and Hudson all debuted in the ensuing decade. It was an Orlando Renaissance!

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

About the Front: "Winningham" might seem like a long surname, but at 10 letters, it's not even the longest in this set. William Pennyfeather, Sherard Clinkscales, and Mark Strittmatter lurk in Series Two, with a dozen letters each.

About the Back: Not only did Herm "see action" in the 1990 postseason, but he started in right field for the Reds in Game Two of the NLCS. He went 2-for-4, doubled, stole a base, and scored the winning run in a 2-1 contest.

Triple Play:
1. His middle name is "Son".

2. Winningham's first career home run was a solo shot off of future Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley on April 12, 1985.

3. After his playing career ended, he returned home to Orangeburg, SC, where he coached high school baseball.

11-Year-Old Kevin Says: How could this guy not have been an impact player? He had "Win" right there in his name!

Bill James Said: Since Herm split the 1993 season between AAA Pawtucket and Norfolk, batting .254/.328/.370 in his final year of pro baseball, he didn't appear in Bill James' guide.

On This Date in 1993: February 18. Professional wrestler Kerry Von Erich, facing time in prison following a second arrest on drug charges, commits suicide by gunshot on his father's ranch in Denton, TX. He was 33.

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

About the Front: Tom Henke's oversized glasses look like a relic of the 1980s.

About the Back: Big league hitters fared a bit better against Henke than AAA guys, but didn't thrive by any means. In a 14-year career, opposing batters had a line of .211/.275/.326 against him.

Triple Play:
1. Toronto teammate John Cerutti nicknamed Tom "The Terminator" after the duo saw the Arnold Schwarzenegger film together in 1985.

2. He retired at the end of the 1995 season, despite having made his second All-Star team in his first year with the Cardinals (1.82 ERA, 36 SV, 54.1 IP). For his career, he totaled 311 saves, still the 21st-highest total all-time.

3. Tom now lives on a thousand-acre farm in Taos, MO with his wife Kathy. They have four children. He's also on the board of directors with the Missouri Department of Mental Health.

11-Year-Old Kevin Says: In my fandom, Henke was an early example of an unconventional-looking athlete who was dominant. I wouldn't have expected somebody who looked like an accountant to be able to mow down hitters.

Bill James Said: "Henke was born in the same month as Lee Smith (December 1957), and is of similar size (6-5, 225 - Smith is 6-6 but weighs more)."

On This Date in 1993: February 12. In Liverpool, England, three-year-old James Bulger is abducted from the New Strand Shopping Centre by a pair of ten-year-old boys. The older boys torture and kill him, and are convicted of murder later that year.

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

About the Front: We have a very artful view of the light standards at Kaufman Stadium at dusk behind Wally Joyner. I couldn't begin to tell you what Wally is looking at.

About the Back: Joyner's strong 1987 campaign created unrealistic expectations of his potential as a power hitter. He slugged only .440 for his career.

Triple Play:
1. He was nicknamed "Wally World", a nod to the fictitious amusement park from the film National Lampoon's Vacation.

2. Joyner's best season other than 1987 came a full decade later, when he hit .327/.390/486 and drove in 83 runs for the Padres.

3. Wally has served as hitting coach for the Padres and assistant hitting and first base coach for the Phillies. Currently, he is the Tigers' hitting coach.

11-Year-Old Kevin Says: Wally Joyner strikes me as a name I knew before taking a strong interest in baseball. Then again, it's a pretty distinct name.

Bill James Said: "He's as good a defensive first baseman as you'll see, and he's a surprising hitter, often looks overmatched for two or three pitches in a row, and then will turn on the pitch and hit it hard somewhere."

On This Date in 1993: February 11. The Angels sign free agent pitcher Scott Sanderson.

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

About the Front: That's Lee Stevens blurrily holding down first base for the Angels and wearing #23.

About the Back: There's a nice view of a vacant Tiger Stadium behind Julio Valera.

Triple Play:
1. Valera pitched a gem against Oakland on June 20, 1992. After giving up a two-out double to Harold Baines in the first inning, he retired 23 straight A's batters. Three of the first four hitters in the ninth inning singled, but Baines bounced into a game-ending double play to preserve the four-hit shutout.

2. Though Julio last pitched in the majors with Kansas City in 1996, he was active in pro ball through 2001, including stints in Mexico and the independent Atlantic League.

3. He coached the Puerto Rican team in the 2008 Americas Baseball Cup, the 2009 Baseball World Cup, and the 2014 Central American and Caribbean Games.

11-Year-Old Kevin Says: This is a familiar theme through the first couple years of blogging about this set; Valera's solid rookie season in 1992 (106 ERA+, four complete games) escaped my knowledge until now. I guess I wasn't the kind of kid who pored over the stats on the back with a fine-toothed comb.

Bill James Said: "He couldn't pitch effectively and the elbow finally blew out in June, leading to reconstructive surgery which cost him the rest of the season and probably 1994 as well."

On This Date in 1993: February 10. Kirk Gibson returns to Detroit as a free agent. He'd spent the first decade of his major league career with the Tigers before jumping to Los Angeles and winning the NL MVP and hitting a memorable pinch homer in Game One of the 1988 World Series. Injuries marred the intervening seasons, but he would put together three solid years as a DH in Motown before retiring in 1995.

Monday, February 9, 2015

About the Front: I spy a blurry Montreal base runner standing at first. Mike Morgan had two home starts against the Expos in 1992. On June 12, he gave up two runs on five hits and four walks in seven innings and did not factor in the decision as the Cubs won 5-2. On August 12, he was tagged with the loss, allowing three runs on ten hits and two walks in eight innings.

About the Front: As you can see, the post-dynasty Athletics called up an 18-year-old Morgan right after drafting him fourth overall, with predictably poor results.

Triple Play:
1. He gave up a couple of milestone home runs, two decades apart: Carl Yastrzemski's 400th career homer on July 24, 1979, and Mark McGwire's 61st homer of the season on September 7, 1998.

2. Morgan finished his career with Arizona in 2002, making him one of the few players to debut in the 1970s and retire in the 2000s. He wound up with a 141-186 record and a 4.23 ERA, and has the lowest career winning percentage (.431) among all pitchers with at least 400 starts.

3. Mike coaches youth baseball players one-on-one through the company Ultimate Sports, and owns World Championship Outfitters, a company that arranges private hunting trips with the ex-pitcher as guide.

11-Year-Old Kevin Says: I was fascinated by Morgan's journeyman status. He set a record by playing for 12 different teams (Athletics, Yankees, Blue Jays, Mariners, Orioles, Dodgers, Cubs, Cardinals, Reds, Twins, Rangers, Diamondbacks), though Octavio Dotel later passed him.

Bill James Said: "He missed some time in mid-season with a strained knee, which may or may not have contributed to his regression toward his pre-1991 level of performance."

On This Date in 1993: February 9. New album releases include Music, the first studio album by 311, and Paul McCartney's Off the Ground.

Friday, February 6, 2015

About the Front: That scrunchy elastic on the cuffs of Rod Nichols' uniform pants reminds me of the uncomfortable pants we wore in Little League. Of course, ours also had the elastic waistband, which big league teams were mercifully phasing out in the early 1990s.

About the Back: In Nichols' big league debut, he had a rough start against the Twins. The first two batters in the first inning reached, then he retired the next two before allowing a three-run homer to Gary Gaetti. The rookie calmed down and went the distance in a shortened seven-inning game, allowing only an unearned run on a Ron Washington error the rest of the way, but he lost 4-2.

Triple Play:
1.Rod had a personal 13-game losing streak that spanned from September 14, 1989 to July 17, 1991. He snapped the skid by donning teammate Greg Swindell's socks for good luck. In the streak-breaker, he tossed a complete-game four-hitter, beating Oakland 2-1.

2. Nichols ended his career in Japan with a brief stint with the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks in 1997.

3. He's been coaching in the Phillies farm system since 2000.

11-Year-Old Kevin Says: Rod and Reid Nichols were another pair of mostly-anonymous guys in my collection that I couldn't keep straight. Reid (no relation) was an outfielder for the Red Sox, White Sox, and Expos in the 1980s.

Bill James Said: "He was cut loose by Cleveland, and signed with Albuquerque as a minor league free agent (have the Dodgers actually sunk to using the Cleveland Indians' castoffs?)."

On This Date in 1993: February 6. Teresa Scanlan is born. In 2011, she will become the youngest Miss America since 1937.

Thursday, February 5, 2015

About the Front: Mariano Duncan is at least the third player in this set to be photographed wearing a shin guard. If I were as thorough as Night Owl, I'd go through the binder and come up with a definitive count. Maybe I will, at that...

About the Back: Fine, I'll fill in the blanks for Topps. In the 1985 NLCS, Mariano started five of the six games at shortstop and batted .222/.263/.444 in 19 plate appearances. In 1990, he started all ten of Cincinnati's postseason games at second base, batting .235/.278/.324 in 36 plate appearances. His three-run homer off of Zane Smith broke a 2-2 tie in Game Three of the 1990 NLCS.

Triple Play:
1. Duncan was a surprise All-Star starter with the Phillies in 1994. He batted .268/.306/.406 (86 OPS+), with eight homers and 48 RBI. I'd say that Phils fans voted early and often, riding the high from 1993's National League pennant.

2. He was a valuable contributor for the World Series Champion Yankees in 1996, with a .340 batting average, .500 slugging percentage, and 34 doubles in 109 games.

3. Mariano is currently a minor league coach for the Cubs. Prior to that, he spent five years (2006-2010) as the Dodgers' first base and infield coach.

11-Year-Old Kevin Says: When I think of Duncan (which isn't often, actually), I think of his 1986 Topps rookie card. It's been in my collection even longer than I've been actively collecting.

Bill James Said: "His hitting has improved dramatically since he stopped switch hitting a few years ago."

On This Date in 1993: February 5. The White Sox re-sign 45-year-old catcher Carlton Fisk for one more go-round. Of course, this one wouldn't have a happy ending.

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

About the Back: How on earth did Valle get a card number ending in zero?

Triple Play:
1. On September 26, 1986, his pinch-hit three-run homer in the eighth inning tied Seattle's contest with the Indians.

2. In 1990, Valle committed only two errors in 677 chances and threw out 42% of opposing base stealers.

3. Dave spent over a decade lending analysis to Mariners game broadcasts, and has also worked for MLB Network. Last year, he managed Seattle's Class A Everett AquaSox to a 28-48 record.

11-Year-Old Kevin Says: Valle was one of those players I assumed was friendly, because he often had a wide smile in photos.

Bill James Said: "He is coming off his best major league season with the bat, but is 33 years old and a career .235 hitter, so whoever signs him may be riding for a fall." After batting .258/.354/.395 with 13 homers and 63 RBI in 1993, Dave played only 46 games the following season for the Red Sox and Rangers, batting .232/.348/.375 with two homers and 10 RBI.

On This Date in 1993: February 4. The Boston Celtics retire Larry Bird's number 33 jersey.

3. Navarro has coached in the Seattle organization since 2008, including a stint as the Mariners' big league bullpen coach.

11-Year-Old Kevin Says: It took me a while to distinguish the name "Jaime" from "Jamie". Taking Spanish classes in middle and high school helped with that.

Bill James Said: "A short summary of Navarro's 1993 season: he got the bejeezus beaten out of him."On This Date in 1993: February 3. The federal trial of four LAPD officers charged with civil rights violations in the videotaped assault of Rodney King opens in Los Angeles.

Monday, February 2, 2015

About the Front: I'll give Delino DeShields the benefit of the doubt because he appears to be on deck, but I don't think he'll have much success at bat if he stays on one knee. I also approve of the high socks, although the shadows make it look like they're mismatched.

About the Back: Delino was slated to attend Villanova University to play point guard on the college's basketball team, but chose pro baseball after the Expos drafted him.

2. DeShields has been a minor league manager in the Reds organization since 2010. In 2015, he'll take the helm of the AAA Louisville Bats.

3. His son, Delino Jr., was drafted eighth overall by the Astros in 2010. So far, he's batted .267/.362/.396 in five minor league seasons, topping out at AA and playing outfield and second base.

11-Year-Old Kevin Says: I liked playing as the Montreal Expos on Ken Griffey, Jr. Presents Major League Baseball for the Super Nintendo. Nine times out of ten, I would have Delino bunt, knowing that it was a sure hit if the ball deadened.

Bill James Said: "Swung at only 35% of the pitches he saw in '93, the lowest percentage of any major league player except Rickey Henderson." That helps explain the high walk and strikeout totals.

On This Date in 1993: February 2. The Brewers sign Dickie Thon. The 35-year-old shortstop will play in 85 games for Milwaukee in his final big league season, batting .269/.324/.331 with a home run and 33 RBI.

About Me

I can remember playing with baseball cards as a toddler, but I actually started collecting them when I was ten. Now I'm an adult looking for an outlet to talk about my hobby without receiving blank stares in return. You can contact me thusly.